Disney+ EMEA Sees 80% UK Ad Revenue Growth, Focuses on Local Originals
Karl Holmes, GM of Disney+ EMEA, reported 80% ad revenue growth in the U.K. and a 25% increase in the EMEA customer base since early 2025. He highlighted the success of the ad-supported tier launched in late 2023 across 15 European countries, with over 1,000 brands participating. Holmes outlined content, brand affinity, and industry partnerships as key priorities for continued growth.
Key Takeaways
- Disney+ EMEA's customer base increased by over 25% since early 2025, with average viewing per retail subscriber up more than 10%.
- U.K. ad revenue for Disney+ grew 80% year-on-year; over 1,000 brands use the ad-supported tier across 15 European countries.
- Disney+ holds a leading young adult audience share in the U.K., with 16-34 year-olds accounting for 39% of viewing hours, surpassing Netflix (32%), Prime (27%), Paramount+ (23%), and Apple TV (20%).
- Upcoming content includes a significant increase in local original commissions across Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Poland, Netherlands, Turkey, and the U.K.
- Disney+ is emphasizing its cinema-to-streaming pipeline, highlighting that Disney has been the top studio at the EMEA box office for nine of the last ten years.
Why It Matters
Disney+ is demonstrating that content diversification and hybrid monetization models can drive significant traction in competitive streaming markets like EMEA. The substantial ad revenue growth validates the ad-supported tier strategy, while local originals aim to deepen regional engagement. This approach pressures competitors to similarly tailor their content and monetization strategies to specific market nuances. Watch for Disney+'s next earnings reports to see if this EMEA growth trend, particularly from ad-supported subscribers and local content, translates into sustained global subscriber and revenue increases, and how competitor localized strategies adapt.
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